TBI arrests woman on TennCare fraud charges

A Nashville woman is behind bars today after she allegedly bilked TennCare out of $30,000 in false billings, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a release.

Keisha Marcano, 31, 3727 Willow Creek Road, was indicted a Davidson County grand jury earlier this month on two counts of TennCare fraud, two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult, one count of theft of services and one count of theft.

The TBI’s investigation, which was opened in the fall of 2008, revealed that Marcano worked for two agencies contracted with TennCare and was paid for working the same hours by both agencies.

New Horizons employed Marcano as a live-in companion for two mentally disabled individuals from June 2007 to December 2008. During that time, Direct Care Staff by Friendship Home Solutions also employed her to care for several other mentally disabled individuals, according to the TBI.

While working at Friendship, Marcano left her companions with a person who was not an employee of New Horizons, TBI officials said.

12 Comments on this post:

By:richgoose on 12/29/09 at 5:34

The penalty even if she is found guilty will not amount to much. She probably can make at least 30,000 dollars showing other people in the Willow Creek area how to accomplish the same thing with a little less risk. You learn as you go!

The penalty for this type crime has to be much more severe in order to stop this behavior.

Another friend of mine said that there should hot be a penalty at all. This should be part of the redistribution of wealth program that is now in existence.

By:tomw on 12/30/09 at 7:47

tomw
I have worked in this industry for a long time. Fraud happens on many levels, but the real crux of the matter is that people who cant care for themselves are being abused. Unskilled workers put these folks in real danger. Many have health concerns that require special training or care.
I know that the State is overwhelmed by the needs of many, but the true test of a civilized people is how we regard and care for those who are most fragile.
If I was to be able to punish her I would throw the book at her and put her in jail for fraud, I would NOT let her work in our industry again. Limit her access to this population. In my mind she is no better than a thief and abuser.

By:BigPapa on 12/30/09 at 9:11

Wait till ObamaCare is in effect, this will just be the tip of the ice berg.

By:localboy on 12/30/09 at 9:54

"Wait till ObamaCare is in effect, this will just be the tip of the ice berg."
Not very likely, since enough caregivers can't be found now (lack of applicants, failed drug tests, etc.). Given the potential uptick in volume, you'll be lucky to find anybody who wants you.

By:Kosh III on 12/30/09 at 10:09

Why was the TBI doing this? The TennCare Bureau has a division devoted to investigations and fraud--it costs millions to operate each year. It's headed by a Bredesen buddy who had the job and department created just so she could have a job.

By:Loner on 12/30/09 at 11:19

The NCP published the suspect's picture...let there be no doubt, a black woman did the dirty deed.

Crypto-racist articles like this are setting the stage for a change of venue request. This woman needs a top level lawyer - working pro bono. She is being used as a whipping girl.

The TBI spent over a year investigating this caregiver, how much did that cost the taxpayers?

Why focus on fraud at the bottom end of the system while ignoring it at the top?

The accused woman temporarily left her charges with another person, who obviously did no harm to the clients. This is a case of unauthorized sub-contracting, not criminal mischief.

This article is race-baiting, yellow journalism. The new owners of the NCP have taken a dark turn.

By:ROTCMom on 12/30/09 at 11:47

ROTCMom

KOSH III, the reason the TBI was involved is that the TennCare Fraud division has no arrest capability. All they do is take in tips, do a cursory investigation, and then turn it over to TBI for full blow investigation and arrest if appropriate. Usually these investigations take months to complete.

And as to your post Loner, the cost to the taxpayer is considerable when you consider that this individual is not alone in what she does, there are many more out there like her to double bill for services not provided. And the state is paying for a supposedly "trained" caregiver to be with these folks, not some buddy of hers. She knew what she was doing was wrong.

By:richgoose on 12/30/09 at 4:00

Loner, I did not need a picture of this woman to know that there was a 70% chance she was black. The reason is that 70% of the health care and nursing home workers are black.

By:border collie on 12/31/09 at 8:42

richgoose: you have got to be kidding me! this has absolutely nothing to do with race! and 70% of healthcare workers are not black...even if they were some of the best i know are black or asian.......IT IS SOCIETY that is the problem...people are weirdo, low-life, freaks who care for no-one but there self mostly! there are very very few empathetic individuals on this planet!!!!! parents are raising uncaring, selfish, self indulgent monsters who are taught to respect no-one...not even themselves

By:sidneyames on 12/31/09 at 10:33

Limit her access to this population. In my mind she is no better than a thief and abuser. said by Tomw. Tom she is a thief and abuser.

Richgoose, do you mean the medical assistants and low end health care? I hope so, cause I've never seen 70% of the medical field being black. Where did you get that number?

Loner said "The accused woman temporarily left her charges with another person, who obviously did no harm to the clients. This is a case of unauthorized sub-contracting, not criminal mischief" Loner how would you like it if your brain surgeon left the OR and temporarily left you with, let's say, an intern. No, she is a criminal and regardless of race, needs to be prosecuted and punished. She is a thief and a fraud.

By:Loner on 1/2/10 at 5:21

False analogy, Sid. Brain surgery and babysitting senior shut-ins are two very different things. What this girl did was stupid, not malicious. She should have started a home-health-aid subcontracting business and stayed legit. She screwed up, but this level of fraud is insignificant to what dozens of doctors, hospitals, clinics and HMO's are pulling off at this very moment. The investigation was lengthy and expensive and resulted in netting a very small fish. TN should demand better from the fraud investigation units. You want fraud, start with Dr/Sen Frist and company.